The subject matter herein relates generally to electrical connectors having signal contacts and ground shields.
Some electrical systems utilize electrical connectors to interconnect two circuit boards, such as a motherboard and daughtercard. In various known systems, a midplane assembly is provided between the electrical connectors to provide mating interfaces for interconnecting both electrical connectors. For example, header connectors are mounted to opposite sides of a midplane circuit board to form the midplane assembly, where one of the electrical connectors is mated with one of the header connectors and the other electrical connector is mated with the other header connector. Such systems are complicated and provide additional components in the form of the midplane circuit board and the pair of header connectors, which adds cost and complexity to the overall system.
Other known systems provide adapter connectors between the electrical connectors. For example, the electrical connectors may both define receptacle connectors having receptacle contacts at the mating interfaces thereof. A header adaptor connector is provided between the electrical connectors and may be mounted directly to the mating end of one of the electrical connectors. The header adapter connector provides a second mating interface for the other electrical connector. The header adapter connector provides pin contacts at both the first and second mating interfaces for electrically connecting to both electrical connectors. However, such systems require the use of the special header adapter connector, adding cost and additional mating interfaces along the signal paths.
Other known systems have one of the electrical connectors designed with pin contacts and the other electrical connector designed with receptacle contacts. However, to provide shielding along the signal paths, separate ground shields are mounted into a housing for electrical connection to the first and second electrical connectors. Assembly of the ground shields and electrical connection of each of the ground shields is difficult.
A need remains for an electrical connector system having a robust and reliable mating interface that provides electrical shielding for the signal contacts of the electrical connectors.